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Somali minister kidnapped in Uganda

Sheikh Yusuf Mohammad Siad had been visiting the Ugandan capital when seized.

06 Oct 2009 21:56 GMT

Uganda supplies about half the peacekeeping troops for the African Union Mission to Somalia (Amison) [AFP]

'Unclear reasons'

Lieutenant-Colonel Felix Kulayigye, a Ugandan army spokesman, told Reuters the minister had come "for unclear reasons and we took an interest in him".

Somali government officials and Siad's relatives had earlier said they believed he had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.

Awad Ashareh, a Somali parliamentary spokesman, told Al Jazeera: "We have been informed by the Somali embassy in Uganda that the minister was not kidnapped at all and the ambassador told me [Siad] is in good hands".

Somalia has been ravaged by violence and anarchy since regional commanders overthrew Mohamed Siad Barre, a former dictator, in 1991, before turning on each other.